How do Clean in Place systems affect Food and Beverage industry?

Manufacturers of food and beverages are committed to food safety, which includes proper sanitation standards and Clean in Place (CIP) protocols. When these principles are followed consistently, the company's safety programmes vastly improve. The issues that are deeply embedded in food production safety are lessened if the equipment and facility meet parameters of cleanliness standards at the start of each function. When wastewater operators are trained and taught about sanitation and the CIP process, they can employ suitable wastewater treatment agreements to help achieve environmental sustainability goals.

Benefits of CIP systems

1: Minimizes Errors: Automating cleaning decreases the risk of human error, which might result in a dangerous product.

2: Keeps Employees Safe: Cleaning solutions are contained within the system, reducing chemical exposure.

3: Increased Productivity: As less time is lost to cleaning, more time is spent on product development.

4: Product Consistency and Quality: Reliable and repeatable cleaning guarantees consistent and long-lasting product quality. Fewer product recalls and more brand confidence result from lower contamination.

5: Water and energy consumption are minimized as a result of repeatable cycle control.

CIP CLEANING CYCLE

Pre rinse

Caustic Wash

Intermediate Rinse

Final Rinse

Sanitizing Rinse

1. Push-out (optional): In this stage, residual product in the process lines is pumped out. A product-recovery system is frequently used to eliminate product waste and reduce the time and resources required for CIP.
2. Pre-wash: To eliminate the previous cleaning sequence, potable water, water for injection, purified water, or re-use is pumped. This phase wets the lines and tanks' interior surfaces, eliminates any leftover residue, dissolves sugars, and partially melts fat. This stage also serves as a non-chemical pressure test and is one of the most crucial in the CIP process.
3. Caustic wash: This is the most common detergent wash and is used to remove proteins and lipids. When there is a lot of soil, the caustic wash can be applied in two stages, with the first one going down the drain and the second one being saved and reused. This stage is completed between 60 and 85 degrees Celsius.
4. Intermediate rinse: The system is rinsed again with potable water, water for injection, and purified water to flush away dissolved soils and leftover detergent residues from the caustic wash.
5. Acid wash: Using a temperature range of 55 to 65 degrees Celsius, this acid wash dissolves mineral scale from hard water deposits, protein residues, and balances the pH of the system.
6. Finish with a rinse to remove any remaining cleaning agents.

Operators of wastewater treatment plants face numerous challenges

Chemicals such as chlorine, caustic soda, phosphoric and nitric acids, sodium hypochlorite (hypo), and per-acetic acid (PAA) are used to clean equipment in most food and beverage and pharmaceutical establishments. This water is then discharged for treatment, causing pH levels, flow rates, and temperatures to fluctuate. Operators of wastewater treatment plants face new hurdles as a result of this.

As a result, sanitation and wastewater operators must interact often in order to optimize the treatment process' performance. Operators of wastewater treatment plants need to know when sanitation procedures take place, what chemicals are utilized, and how much water is consumed. This ensures that all operators are on the same page, resulting in a more efficient procedure.

The dangers of failing to develop CIP

Your facility's entire wastewater system could be jeopardized if CIP isn't optimised. Undersized equalisation tanks may be in place if the greater flow rates during CIP and sanitation are not taken into consideration, resulting in unsatisfactory wastewater treatment.

Pollutant loading rates are then underestimated or calculated for general production, and treatments aren't fully optimised because the larger initial contaminant load isn't taken into consideration during cleaning and CIP.

Wastewater treatment that is automated can eliminate human error while also lowering operational and chemical costs. 

Are you stumped as where to begin?

It's no problem! We'll ask the necessary questions of the sanitation and wastewater personnel in order to come up with the best solution for your specific requirements.

CIP processes are usually performed at the same time every time. We'll use flow metres to determine the original process flow, conduct 24-hour composite sampling and testing of wastewater, and examine pH control loops and appropriately sized equalisation equipment.

If you want to know more about CIP systems in food and beverage treatment plants, then you can have an expert solution upon contacting Netsol Water Solutions, a leading manufacturer of Industrial and Commercial Water Treatment plants and Wastewater Treatment Plants, among other services. We have a wide range of items to help you improve your water filtration and the best products including Activated Carbon Water Filter.

Call us on +919650608473 or contact via email at enquiry@netsolwater.comfor more information.